Congratulations!! Said the nurse to Mr. Rao. Finally u have a baby girl in your family. Mr. Rao looked very thrilled and was eager to see his beloved wife and his new born little princess. Of course, he was happy they had a girl child in their house after many many years. Mr. Rao was a Police Officer with a high rank. He had 2 brothers and they had 2 sons each. Mr. Rao also had 2 sons but something told him that his 3rd child will be a girl and how true was that.
What shall we name her asked Janaki. He told her early hours on Saturday my little princess is born hearing the suprabhatam. Lets name her Kausalya. The little Kausalya was brought home just a few days later. The servants were given gifts and there was Annadanam done by Mr. Rao & Janaki to celebrate the arrival of the little princess Kausalya.
The 2 brothers were also happy that they now had a little sister to play with. Kausalya was now growing quickly, she was a girl and as they say girls grow up very quickly. She had servants around her to comb her hair, to drop her to school to serve her food. If she wanted to pick up a broomstick just for the fun of it. She had 2 maids running to tell her it was not her job to do all that. She got whatever she asked for. Her brothers loved her. Her dad would spend evenings telling her the stories of Prince Charming and her mother prayed for the lovely family every day. She was a very intelligent child at school. Always excelled in studies. It looked like she was the luckiest girl on earth ever. And then one day Janaki got a call from the hospital. She was shocked and dint speak a word. The servants helped her sit down and Kausalya dint understand anything.
Mr. Rao was chasing a criminal & the criminal shot Mr. Rao in the chest. He battled for his life for 2 days and then Mr. Rao wanted to speak to his wife. Janaki went into the ICU and Mr. Rao told her he knew he did not have much time. He took a promise from her that she will ensure that all 3 children will study atleast graduation and Janaki promised.
Mr. Rao passed away the next morning he could not withstand any more medication and the wound was deep. He had never taken any bribes in his lifetime and had always helped others financially with whatever little income he had.
Suddenly things changed. There was no money in the house. There were no savings. There were 3 kids to take care of and Janaki had to be strong. That included her husband’s little princess. She went back to her mother’s place as her in-laws did not find it as a great perspective to her around as they would have to spend money on her food and the children’s education without receiving anything.
Getting back to the maternal house also was not a happy incident for Kausalya as it had always been. There was no more warm welcome and Janaki’s sisters were tensed that their father might pass on the entire property to Janaki as she had now lost her husband. Janaki’s mom had now grown old & the other daughters had put in wrong thoughts in her mind telling her that her husband will not be taking cake of her anymore as Janaki had arrived in the house and all his attention will be on the daughter & grandchildren. This made Janaki’s mom very cranky. She made Janaki do all the chores at home while Janaki’s father was at work. Janaki had to go to the farm & also to the market in between to get things done. At home the children joined a local school and would come back. Now things had changed. After coming back from school Kausalya’s only job was not just to study but to clean the verandah, wash dishes & wash her granny’s clothes. The two boys would go out to play & the granny would say they are boys & you are a girl. Her hands were getting rough with the kind of work she would do. There were no more servants. There was no one to serve her food. She had to learn to cook rice. She also burnt her fingers a few times.
Cried secretly knowing that no one would come to console her she would get back to her work. In the night she would have a torch light with her in bed to ensure no one’s sleep is disturbed while she studied for her exams.
Kausalya grew up to be a beautiful young lady. She had a certain elegance when she spoke. She had grown to be a very simple yet gorgeous looking young girl. She finished her schooling and the relatives pestered Janaki to get her married.
Janaki was now growing old and both her sons had finished college & had started to work but unfortunately had taken up their own life to take care of & never bothered to look back at Janaki. Janaki had become a stronger woman. The situations in her life made her stronger. She was now taking care of huge acres of farmland given to her by her late father & also taking care of the ailing mother who would still constantly be accusing her of the wrong things.
Janaki was very happy at a proposal that came across for Kausalya. She was about to say yes to the boy’s family when she remembered her promise to her husband. She thought about it for a day and decided that she would keep the Promise given to her husband.
Kausalya sat down with Janaki & told her , “You are a big girl now, I want to tell you something” Kausalaya said “Mom I Love you and if you want me to marry that boy I will”. Janaki nodded her head and said, “ I know..I know u will obey to whatever I tell you. But I promised your father that I will let you study. He wanted you to finish your graduation and so I shall keep it”. Kausalya’s happiness knew no bounds she was jumping with joy with the thought that she could now go back to college. She could finish her graduation & secretly she wishing she could now be in the same class as HIM. She was happy for sure & it showed.
She got back to college & by now Kausalya had learnt to study, do the chores at home and have whatever little fun she could with her friends at college and go back home.
“Kausalya can I borrow your book? I dint take down the notes yesterday in the Commerce class”, said Shiva. Kausalya just stared at him in amusement not knowing what to say. The guy whom she always wanted to speak to was now in front of her and asking her about her notes to be borrowed. Would there be a better thing than that?There could’nt be and slowly she said “sure you can”.
She had started feeling like she was on the top of the world. The boys in her class had been whispering that there is something that is starting to cook up & somehow she was finding it very nice. She wasn’t embarrassed. Her friends warned her about Shiva. “He is not a very nice guy though he looks like one “ said Lakshmi. He will try and take advantage of you said Latha. Kausalya was not ready to listen. She just said “ there is nothing happening, why are you girls so tensed. He just borrowed my book.” The book came back after 2 days and it had a letter. Kausalya was secretly thrilled at the feeling she was going through. She had butterflies in her stomach & she was thinking, “ Is this love?” Should I say yes?” And she just went ahead & said yes. She dreamt everyday from then on that her life will get better again. That she would not have to get up at 5 or earlier everyday and do the work at home. She will not have to wait for her friends to give her the money to buy a movie ticket to go out with them & she could have someone love her just like her father did, when she was a little girl. She dreamt that he will do everthing for her & treat her like a princess once again. She dreamt that she will have the same life once again.
A few months later Shiva told her that his parents are planning to get him married with a girl who has not even been to school properly & he is so in love with Kausalya who was beautiful & intelligent. Kausalya asked him “So what do we do now”.
He told her to run away with him & get married with him so after a month when they come back no one will object & the elders will have to agree to the marriage. She trusted & believed him.She knew somewhere that she was wrong but she dint have another option. The man she loved would otherwise get married to someone else. She couldn’t see that happen.
She eloped with him. Janaki was shattered. People haunted her telling her that she now has nothing left with her. She would have been better off if she heard them earlier & had got her married. She was ruined. She wanted to kill Kausalya if she ever saw her again.
Janaki became quieter & started meeting people rarely. She had no one she could turn to. Everyone around her blamed her for what happened.
6 months passed & Janaki had to go to a nearby village to attend a wedding. She saw that in the bus stop there was girl standing who was weak & fragile. She looked like a skeleton & resembled her daughter Kausalya. Kausalya her own daughter, her princess. Was it her. Was it the same girl? Janaki was curious. She went close to her..and there she was weak & lean with bruises on her face. Swollen & dark eyes with lack of sleep. The immediate reaction was tears that flowed down like rivers from both their eyes. After a while when the tears stopped, they hugged each other & Janaki then knew the truth. Shiva had married her & brought her to a nearby village. He had the habit of drinking & he started beating her up everyday. She had a broken hip because of which Kausalya could not walk properly. Janaki called an auto & took her daughter with her back to her house. She appointed a maid to take care of Kausalya. She arranged for some books so Kausalya could take the exams without attending college. The relatives as usual started talking & accusing both Janaki & Kausalya for their deeds. Janaki just wanted to see her daughter get back in form. Kausalya couldn’t have a better gift. Kausalya’s friends kept meeting her & got her some books to study as well.
Shiva had a police complaint against him filed by Janaki & he was cought & jailed.
Kausalya passed the exams & did well. She was interested in further studies & did her Masters. Janaki allowed her to do so. She wanted to teach & joined a college in the town as a Lecturer. She later became the Principal of the college. Janaki’s mother passed away & janaki could now live with her daughter. Janaki asked Kausalya to get married a couple of times but Kausalya did not show any interest. The single bad experience had left Kausalya to stay away from anysort of relationships. Time passed & Kausalya was doing well. She got to meet a Lawyer Murali who was the relative of her close friend. They had common interest & he had never been married due to his commitments towards his family. He was now willing to marry & could not think of any one better than Kausalya.
Janaki blessed the couple. Kausalya thanked her mother & said “ Thanks Mom for keeping Dad’s promise & making me what I am today”.
1 comments:
Nice Story.
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